Flaming Moon Badgers
by JHLZ.NTL
Summary: The story of the greatest pro-bending team in history.
1. Chapter 1

**I know a couple of people have done fan art for Lin, Kya and Izumi as a pro-bending team but they're all around the same age in those. Can someone draw a fan-art of 11 year old Lin Beifong with her arms folded like she is angry at the world and ready to kill everyone with Kya looking elated with one fist in the air cheering and having the grandest time behind her right shoulder and Izumi looking beautiful and proud with her chin up and one hand on her hip and a closed mouth smile behind Lin's left shoulder?**

 **Because of their age, a lot of people think they are one of the first pro-bending teams. I have a headcanon that Izumi was getting tired of her princess duties and was looking for fun when Kya invited her out for dinner with her and her earthbender girlfriend from Omashu. The three went to some seedy lesbian bar in the slums after and came up with the concept for probending. Izumi convinced Fire Lady Mai to loan her the money and she funded the initial construction of this underground ring and found a bunch of friends to make other teams. They advertised around and managed to sell tickets to the underground arena.**

 **After a couple of years, Kya broke up with her earthbender girlfriend and the team needed a replacement earthbender so Kya (16) and Izumi(17) recruit Lin (11) to fill the earthbender's place.**

* * *

"Tonight's pro-bending match will be between the Flaming Moon Badgers and the Tigerdillos. Tension has been high among the Moon Badgers with their waterbender, Kaiyama and their earthbender, Rona of going through what appears to be some personal issues. The first game of the season has been unusually bleak for the ordinarily strong team. Will they be able to get their act together in time for the qualifying match next week?" Shiro Shinobi announced on the radio in Narook's Noodlery.

In one closed off, rather private corner, two girls, 16 and 17 years old wearing blue and white, and black and red respectively sat with their heads hung low and their faces angled towards the wall not wanting to be seen by anybody.

"Are you sure she's not coming back?" the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation asked.

"Positive!" the waterbending daughter of the Avatar replied with a sniffle.

"How are you doing?" the Princess asked carefully placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I'm worried about tomorrow's game! How are we going to play?" the daughter of the Avatar asked.

"We don't need to play tomorrow's game. We can miss one! It is okay. Qualifying don't start until next week. Besides, your feelings are more important than a stupid game!"

"But I need the money!"

"I can give you money! Don't worry about that."

"It wouldn't be right, though. My father always told me I have to work for what I want. I can't just freeload off of other people."

"My father told me the same thing, but he also told me to help those in need."

"But my father would argue that money is not something I need. I mean, I have food, water, and a roof over my head and a bed in which to sleep-" the waterbender sniffled some more.

"But you're not an airbender or air nomad. You don't have to detach yourself from earthly possessions and desires. You can still feel human, you can still want things. It is **normal**!" the firebender insisted.

"I know. I just- don't know what to think. I don't want to think."

"Then don't think."

"You're right. Maybe the fight will clear my head of things. But what about Rona"

"We need to find an earthbender."

"Do you have any ideas?" the waterbender asked hopelessly.

"As a matter of fact, I do!" the Princess replied confidently.

* * *

A rather rotund hobo jumped as the ground beneath him began to shake. He ran away as the cobblestone disintegrated and a hole appeared in the place where he sat only moments before. A small, pale skinned, dark-haired, dirt-covered girl peaked out of the black hole making sure the alley was clear before emerging with her tongue sticking out of the side of her mouth in concentration. She eyed the nearby docks with determination, ready to sprint towards the ferry that would carry her across the bay to her destination. She climbed out of the hole in the ground and closed up the tunnel replacing the cobble stones with ease using her bending then peaked out of the alley in both directions to confirm that the coast was clear of anyone chasing her. Before she could bolt across the street for the docks, she found one hand and one leg frozen in water.

"I found her, Zumi!" the teenage waterbender called jumping out of a nearby store. The young earthbender's face contorted in fury as she blew a tuft of wavy black hair out of her face. She pulled with all her might but couldn't break the ice. With her free leg, she kicked a pillar up breaking the ice, and she bolted across the street with a teenage waterbender and a teenage firebender pursuing her relentlessly.

The firebender launched herself in the air with red fire blasting out of her feet as she flipped over the young earthbender landing a distance in front of her. She sprayed fire towards the girl who blocked it with an earth wall then collapsed the wall and cartwheeled to the side hitting the firebender in the face with a chunk of metal torn off a nearby bench. The waterbender took advantage of the distraction and grabbed the girl by the foot with a water tentacle yanking her into the air and upside down. As the girl flipped through the air, she dug a small chunk of earth out of the sidewalk with her own bending and hit the waterbender in the stomach, breaking her concentration and the water tentacle.

The little earthbending girl fell down on her head, bracing herself with her hands and rolling onto her feet again. She turned and ran straight into the teenage firebender's long, strong arms.

"Got you, Linny!" the firebender said with a beautiful smirk locking her fingers together with her arms around the frustrated girl.

"Let me go, Izumi!" the little earthbender yelled kicking and thrashing about, not really wanting seriously injure the Fire Princess.

"Not so fast! We have a proposal for you, Lin," the waterbender said strolling over to them holding her bruised rib.

"I am not interested in shopping or hitting up the cactus juice at that lesbian bar you frequent in Dragon Flats Borough!" the little earthbender, Lin replied quickly, glowering at the waterbender with striking green eyes and a rather adorable little face.

"You're so cute when you're angry," Kya cooed only to infuriate the child even more.

"The proposal involves neither of those activities!" Izumi began. "We wouldn't want you to suffer even more than you already do with your grandparents, now would we?"

"Yes," Lin replied bluntly looking up at the firebending princess.

"Besides! You're too young for the bar anyways. Come back in five years." the waterbender sighed rolling her eyes.

"Or never since I'll be in the police academy in five years!" Lin snapped back.

"Oh Lin! Is that all you ever think about? The future? Being a cop and chief of police and working?" the firebender asked.

"I think about other things!" the little earthbender cried, pouting at them.

"Like what?" the waterbender laughed. "My brother?"

"Maybe!" she muttered turning away, giving up on fighting to free herself from the firebender's arms.

"Come on, Lin! You're eleven years old! Be a kid! Live a little!" the firebender told her.

"I DO live! I ditched the metalbending academy today!" the small earthbender argued.

"What, to go hang out with your future husband, my boring-ass little brother?" the waterbender asked.

"Stop calling him my future husband! And he's not boring!" the little earthbender snapped.

"Fine! Then he's serious! Anyways, just hear us out!" the waterbender yelled with her hands up. "It's called pro-bending. Pro, because you get paid for it like a professional anything and bending because, well-"

"I know what pro-bending is and I hate it! It is a mockery of the ancient tradition that our ancestors and fellow benders have spent thousands of years perfecting and improving-" the little girl yelled at them.

"Come on, Lin! It isn't a bad thing. It is fun! You get to kick ass and make money for it!" the firebender simplified.

"I am a Beifong. I don't need any more money," the earthbender replied.

"Well not everyone is that fortunate," the waterbender replied with a frown.

"You can give your earnings to Kya like I do," the firebender suggested.

"So she can buy a girl to give her a night of ecstasy?" the little girl asked knowingly.

The waterbender frowned and slapped the eleven year old. "Listen up, kid! You're going to meet us outside City Hall tonight at 10PM and fight like your little ass depended on it or else I am going to tell my mom YOU were the one who burned her ancient waterbending scrolls!" the waterbender yelled.

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" the little earthbender shrieked.

"If you help us win tonight's match, it will remain a secret!" the waterbender threatened lowering her face to be level with the child's.

The little earthbender hesitated.

"We'll get you dumplings," the firebender offered.

The girl's entire demeanor changed. Her eyes opened wider and her eyebrows perked up. "From Ding's?!" she asked eagerly turning to look up at the fire bender.

"From wherever you'd like!" the firebending princess confirmed.

"Alright, I'll come!" the little earthbender promised. "Now can I go to Air Temple Island?"

"Sure, but DON'T tell Tenzin!" the waterbender ordered as the firebender slackened her grip on the little girl.

"Whatever!" the earthbender yelled sprinting towards the docks as the ferry began to pull away. She bent the earth beneath her feet to launch herself through the air in a double flip, landing on the deck of the ferry like a stowaway.


	2. Chapter 2

It took an hour to walk from City Hall to some nondescript alleyway in Dragon Flats Borough. At the end of the alleyway was a bland and rather flimsy looking wooden door. Kya knocked.

"Password?" a rather deep and menacing voice asked from behind the doorway.

"Fuck you," Kya answered blank faced.

"I'd be glad to," the man replied opening the door. Lin raised an eyebrow glancing at Izumi who only shrugged.

"Wait!" the security guard stopped them. "Isn't she a little young to be competing in pro-bending?" He asked the team.

"She's fifteen. She's my little sister. She's just a midget, that's all," Izumi explained quickly and smoothly with a steady heartbeat and a straight face. She lies like her aunt, Lin remembered her mother telling her about Izumi.

Lin was impressed, but also a little angry wanting to punch the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation in the face for calling her a midget.

"Very well, welcome to pro-bending, little girl," the security guard said bowing to her. Lin raised an eyebrow curiously at him. They walked up to a rather scrawny man sitting at a desk.

"Team?"

"Flaming Moon Badgers," Kya answered.

Lin snorted. "Flaming Moon Badgers? That is the stupidest team name I have ever heard! Moon badgers aren't even a real thing!"

"Hey! What does it matter? We have been champions two years running!" Kya snapped back defensively.

"So? You can still be champions and have a stupid name!" Lin sneered.

"Shut up!" Kya yelled.

"Guys, is now really the time to be arguing?" Izumi snapped at them.

"She's replacing Rona?" the man at the table asked, unimpressed with the newcomer.

"Yes," Izumi answered while Lin and Kya continued to stare each other down and ignore her.

"And her name is?"

"Lina,"

"Okay," the scrawny man said scribbling the name down on a scrap of parchment handing it to a messenger boy. "...and will she need a new uniform?"

"Yes please, thank you," Izumi replied.

The man glanced at Lin for her size and then disappeared into a back room returning with a rugsack with two uniforms in it. A grey uniform with green seams and a beige uniform with green seams and a green belt inside."Here you go!" he said handing the bag to Lin who nearly disappeared beneath it because she was so small. "Good luck in the match tonight, you three." the man said with a nod and a wave.

"Come on, Lina!" Kya said grabbing Lin's skinny wrist dragging her towards their locker room for the night.

"Why did you use a fake name?" Lin asked once they were alone in the locker room, undressing. "My mom wouldn't get mad to see me fighting underground. I mean, she was the Blind Bandit in some underground earthbending scene in Gaoling when she was eight until she was twelve."

"Yeah your mom wouldn't get mad, but our dads certainly would if they find out, and frankly, Aunt Toph isn't very quiet about her pride and joy," Kya replied.

"Good point," Lin nodded pulling her beige shirt and brown shorts off standing there completely naked save for white underwear. "What is this?" Lin asked pulling a long white strip of white fabric out of her bag.

"Bindings," Izumi replied. "Come here, let me help you."

"I can tie my bindings myself," Lin said placing one end on her wrist.

"No! The white one is for your chest. The green ones are for your arms."

Lin looked down at her flat self. "But I don't have a chest yet."

Izumi sighed. "You will eventually. You should wear it for the match so you get used to it. Come here. I'll help you tie it." Lin sighed and trudged over to the bench where Izumi sat in her bindings and grey uniform pants. Lin straddled the bench and sat between Izumi's legs, resting her arms on her head. "Before we go out there, there are a few rules in pro-bending you should know."

"Awwww! You didn't tell me the ass kicking was conditional?" Lin whined slumping on the bench.

"It is all to ensure a fair game!" Izumi explained straightening the little girl's back again.

"Hmph!"

"First rule, no sub-elements," Izumi began.

"WHAT?!" Lin shrieked.

"And you can only bend the earth disks provided to you. Not the metal grates or the metal rails or the metal floor," Izumi continued.

"I don't like this game already!" Lin said folding her arms as Izumi finished wrapping her chest and began tying off the knot in the back.

"You cannot reshape the disks or break them in any way, and you cannot bend disks outside your zone,"

"Zone?"

Izumi swung a leg over the bench and Lin did the same. She took a stick and drew an oval in the dust on the floor. "The ring is shaped like this. There are a total of six zones. Three for each team. The goal of the game is to knock the members of the opposing team off the back of the ring. **NOT** over the sides."

Lin nodded.

"If we manage to push all members of the opposing team back a zone, one of these, we can move forward into their territory, making it easier for us to knock them off the back. If we succeed, it is called a knockout and we automatically win the match."

Lin nodded again.

"If time runs out and there are still members of the other team standing, and we've managed to push some or all of them them back a few zones, we win the round and fight again. If say, they push some of us back, but we push some of them back, and we're spread equally, its a draw and there is a coin toss to determine which team gets to choose the element to duel for the round."

Lin nodded again, standing up. She pulled on her gi and then tied her green belt around her waist just in time as an attendant knocked on the door.

"Moon badgers, you're up!" The attendant announced.

"Coming!" Izumi called. "Any questions, Lina?" Izumi asked with a wink remembering to use the fake name in front of others.

Lin shook her head and fell in line between Izumi and Kya. "But I still don't think we need the fake names." she whispered after a minute of walking in silence.

"If you're not afraid of what will happen when mine and Kya's fathers find out, then think of this headline in the newspapers of three countries and the United Republic: Crown Princess of the Fire Nation, Daughter of the Avatar, and a Daughter of the Chief Of Police lose a pro-bending match to street rats from the lowest ring in Ba Sing Se!" Izumi said with a smile, bending down to whisper in Lin's ear, waving her arm outstretched in front of the girl's face as if showing her the headline in the window of a bookstore.

Lin's face scrunched up in thought. "That's it!" Lin said firmly, stomping her foot causing the ground to jolt underneath, turning in her place to face Kya and Izumi.

"What?" Kya asked glancing at Izumi who shrugged.

Lin's face leaned forward, and her eyes narrowed into slits, her eyebrows scrunched up and lips pursed. "As long as I am on this team, we are **_NOT_** losing, just in case anyone does ever find out who we are..." Lin turned away again and kept walking. Gone was the confusion and apprehension she had while Izumi was describing the rules of game. In its place, determination and calculation took over little Linny's brain as she began to think of all the possible strategies she could employ in this game.

* * *

 **Shiro Shinobi:**

 **(Flaming Moon Badgers: Kayama - Water, Lina - Earth, Ziyuan - Fire)**

 **(Tigerdillos: Miku - Water, Riyu - Earth, Hira - Fire)**

It looks like the rumors were true folks! Kaiyama of the Flaming Moon Badgers has split with the earthbender Rona from Omashu. Somehow they have managed to pull through with this tiny but no doubt mighty little earthbender by the name of Lina who is supposedly Ziyuan's half-sister. I can already tell that this little girl will be someone to look out for- AND THE BELL RINGS Signalling the start of ROUND 1. The Moon Badgers clash with the Tigerdillos with an explosive start- And LOOK AT LINA'S SPEED! She takes bending one disk at a time to a whole knew level of speed and accuracy-And Ziyuan dodges a water whip from Miku, Kaiyama dodges a foot full of fire from Hira and and narrowly misses an earth disk from Riyu. While Ziyuan and Kaiyama take a defensive stance in the beginning of this round, Lina is a tiny bending machine. And LOOK AT THAT CURVED DISK RIGHT TO THE GUT AND RIYU IS IN THE DRAIN!

Ziyuan taking on Miku in a battle of opposite elements, Fire versus Water, WHICH WILL TRIUMPH TONIGHT? And another curved shot from Lina knocks Miku back to zone two interfering with our little elemental duel. And with a cartwheel and a flip, Kaiyama and Ziyuan change places With Lina still in the middle of the ring waiting for openings to bend her curved disks. Fire on fire on the north side of the arena with Ziyuan and Hira facing off in Agni Kai- Ziyuan apparently holding back. I don't know if you can hear what we can see in the arena, radio listeners, but it appears that Ziyuan's natural fire MAY BE BLUE! Tiny Blue flames occasionally escape the red that she is using. Will the refs consider this in violation of the 'no sub-element' rules or not since it is technically still fire? Find out tonight after the game- and HIRA IS KNOCKED BACK INTO ZONE TWO FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY HER TEAM MATE MIKU! AND THE FLAMING MOON BADGERS CROSS INTO ENEMY TERRITORY. AND WITH A BEAUTIFULLY EXECUTED FIVE FORTY, LINA SENDS MIKU BACK TO ZONE THREE- and there's the bell folks, the Moon Badgers take round 1! Can the Tigerdillos make a comeback? Will the new little earthbender continue to bury them in a rockalanche?!

 _ **RING!**_

Shiro Shinobi:

The Tigerdillos gain up on Lina but even combined are no match for the speed and quickly abandon their efforts. Kayama is pushed back to zone 2 by Riyu. Miku is pushed back again to Zone two, this time by Ziyuan- Lina takes on the earth and water tigerdillo AT THE SAME TIME while Ziyuan takes on Hira in a second Agni Kai? Will Ziyuan's homeland style or Hira's colonial style prevail? On the other side, of the ring, Riyu is knocked back to zone two with his teammate- homeland wins the agni kai with Hira knocked into the drain! And there goes Riyu. Now it is three on one with only Miku left standing. Can Miku be enough to hold off the Moon Badgers? NOPE! And its a knock out in round two! The Flaming Moon Badgers win the match!"

* * *

"Woo hoo!" Kya jumped up with a fist in the air wrapping herself in a water spout before jumping down and splashing Lina and Izumi.

"Hey nice job out there, little Linny!" Izumi said clapping the young earthbender on the back.

Izumi boiled the water off her clothes with controlled heat while Lin kicked a disk into Kya's face. She blocked it.

"What was that for?!" Kya asked.

"Getting knocked back to zone two!" Lin replied glaring at the teenage waterbender.

"We still won the match, didn't we?!" Kya asked shrugging it off.

"Whatever," Lin replied walking back towards their end of the ring and back to the locker rooms.

Back in the locker rooms, they rinsed out their sweaty uniforms. Kya bent most of the water out, Izumi steamed them dry, and Lin was tasked with folding everything.

"And don't forget, we have training at 10AM tomorrow." Kya said throwing everything hastily into her bag.

"We have to train to this? But it is soooooo easy!" Lin whined shoving her green belt inside angrily.

"Training is also when you get paid for the match. You can leave right after. I am sure whatever you do at the Beifong Metalbending Academy is much more intense than this," Izumi promised placing her uniform into her bag neatly, careful to not ruin Lin's excellent folding job.

"Oh, okay." Lin replied with a sigh. They all shouldered their bag and departed the arena together.

* * *

"LINA! UNDER WHICH MASTER DID YOU STUDY EARTHBENDING?!"

"ZIYUAN! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR SECRET SISTER?"

"KAYAMA! ARE YOU AND RONA STILL ON SPEAKING TERMS?"

"IS LINA ON THE TEAM PERMANENTLY?"

"WILL RONA RETURN TO OMASHU?"

A combination of press and fans bombarded the Flaming Moon Badgers as soon as they exited the stadium.

Izumi and Kya both put a hand on one of Lin's bony little girl shoulders.

"Hold on!" Lin Yelled sinking them into the tunnels underneath the city, burying them in silent darkness to avoid the barrage of questions.

"I can't see a thing down here!" Kya exclaimed.

"Oh no! What a-" Lin began to say.

"NIGHTMARE!" Izumi had picked up Lin and they both made dark sneers in the blackness just as Izumi lit a blue flame in her hand revealing their faces. Kya screamed and fell over backwards, rolling over her head while Lin and Izumi roared with laughter in the light of the blue flame as it turned to a cooler red.

"We can take these tunnels to the docks or the Fire Nation Embassy..." Lin said waving her arms around in the tunnel.

"We can get ourselves home, AND we're older. Shouldn't we get you home first?" Izumi asked.

"I don't need you to babysit me!" Lin replied marginally offended.

"Sorry. It would just give me comfort knowing that you get home safe," Izumi said.

"Yeah, and frankly, I don't want to be caught at the receiving end of your mom's wrath," Kya added honestly.

"Fine, we can go to my house," Lin grumbled.

* * *

 **I hope you liked chapter 2! For the Flaming Moon Badgers the Fake names are as follows:**

 **Lin- Lina**

 **Izumi - Ziyuan (just think of the 'z's in common to remember)**

 **Kya - Kayama**

 **Don't forget to leave feedback in the comment/reviews section! All feedback is greatly appreciated! And I do read the comments and take them into consideration when writing so if there is something you want to see from the grumpy potato, the Fire Nation Princess, and the water hippie, let me know! :) Happy reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

The three girls took a train to the upper district of the city then walked through the neighborhood to the Beifong Estate. It was a colossal structure that Toph created herself entirely out of stone then hired architects to do the decor. Inside almost all of the furniture was either metal or wood with a couple of fabric cushions, mattresses, and curtains. To any outsider, the mansion looked no different from the prison that the chief of Police locked away thieves and murderers, but to the Chief and her two young girls, it was home.

"You guys might want to leave me here. I don't usually hang out with you so my mom might think something's up!" Lin said stopping Kya and Izumi from coming closer to the stone house."

"But she won't be able to see us, right?"

"I don't think so. It seems like her sight is only improving with age. She can detect me coming a mile away; it is scary," Lin replied.

"In that case, she has probably already seen us," Izumi shrugged in defeat.

"Well unless you feel like talking to my mother, I suggest you leave," Lin informed them dryly.

"Alright. Well have a great night, Linny," Kya waved.

"Don't forget training in the morning!" Izumi reminded her.

"I won't!"

* * *

Lin launched herself onto the side of her house and bent her feet into the stone them metalbent her window open by the frame, jumping directly from the window to her bed, diving under the colors in one smooth light motion. She pulled her covers down under her chin and just about closed her eyes when the light switched on without anyone touching it. She whipped her head around to find her mother sitting on an earthen stool in the corner across the room.

"Evening, Linny! Beautiful night isn't it?"

"How would you know? You can't see it!" Lin replied wanting nothing else than to just sleep after such an eventful evening with two teenagers with whom she never before really enjoyed spending time.

"Lin, where were you tonight?"

"With Tenzin! We went flying around the ruins of Taku like we always do on Friday nights,"

"That's odd, because when I was over at tea with Katara, Tenzin was cooking fruit cakes with Aang," Toph replied.

Lin winced.

Toph stood up and slowly walked over to her eldest daughter's bed. "I may not be able to feel your heartbeat through that mattress, but I still know when you're lying to me," Toph said sternly.

"How?" Lin asked as her mother sat down on the blankets.

"I know you," Toph explained placing a hand over her girl's, not looking in her direction since her eyes were useless. "So spit it out. Where'd you go?"

"You don't usually care about my late night outings," Lin replied reluctant to divulge any details of her most recent exploits.

"Yes, well you're getting older and this is unusual. I just want to make sure you're not running away from me," Toph chuckled. "Not yet, at least."

Lin laughed. "Alright, I'll tell you. I went to an underground fighting ring!" Lin answered excitedly. As long as she doesn't know about Kya and Izumi, it's okay right She won't tell Uncle Zuko or Uncle Aang?

But her mom frowned. "To watch or participate?" Toph asked quietly, her expression difficult to read.

"Participate," Lin replied cautiously pulling her hand away, but Toph's fingers locked around her bony little girl wrist.

"Did you win?" Toph asked with the most serious tone of voice.

"Yes," Lin answered apprehensively.

Toph thought about it for a few tense moments relaxing her grip on Lin again and smiling. "That's my girl! So what is the Republic City underground Earthbending Scene like?"

"Rather, unchallenging," Lin replied with a giggle as Toph took both her hands and leaned over to kiss the top of Lin's head.

"Remind me to take you to Earth Rumble in Gaoling sometime. You'd have fun beating up the old geezers who foolishly listen to their muscles and neglect the earth!" Toph said squeezing her daughter's hands.

Lin laughed.

"And it is not just earthbenders, Mom! We get to fight firebenders and waterbenders too! And we get paid for winning!"

"As it should be!" Toph said firmly. "Now I'm sure you've had enough excitement between your first underground match that I am aware of, and this little interrogation."

Lin giggled.

"Get some rest, my little badgermole."

"Goodnight, Mom!"

"Goodnight, Linny. And remember, I will know if you sneak out again! I'm always watching!" Toph said winking at the girl before flicking the lamp switch off from the doorway with her metalbending.

Lin smiled and closed her eyes and went to sleep.

* * *

"SEE? I TOLD YOU SHE WAS MY DAUGHTER!" Toph bragged to Katara the next morning, kicking her feet up on the table at Air Temple Island while five year old Suyin was left to play with Kya and Bumi.

"Did anyone ever doubt it?" Katara asked rolling her eyes while she poured tea for herself, Aang, and Toph.

Aang laughed, wrapping an arm around his wife, kissing her head affectionately.

"Knock knock!" someone called from the living room.

"Fire Lord Zuko! To what do we owe the honor of your presence?" Kya asked jumping up from the rug in the living room where Suyin was showing Kya and Bumi her latest creation.

"Please accept this offering to put to whatever use you see fit!" Bumi exclaimed picking up Suyin thrusting her at the Fire Lord and the Fire Lady Mai.

"I could have you arrested for child trafficking. Trying to give my five year old daughter to the Fire Lord!" Toph muttered swatting Bumi over the head.

"Toph, please don't discipline my children for me," Katara asked.

"If you disciplined them in the first place they wouldn't act this way," Toph replied.

"Oh REALLY?! Says the one who's eleven year old daughter fights in some mysterious underground ring!" Katara replied.

Bumi shot a look at Kya.

"And I found out which one! Guys, we're going to watch Pro-Bending!" Toph exclaimed with one fist in the air.

"Is that what this is about?" Mai asked with an almost smile.

"I thought the minimum age limit for Pro-bending was 16," Zuko replied scowling.

"Eh, age is just a number. As long as she is winning, I'll support it. It will be good practice for her, and she'll get to fight more than just earth and metalbenders, for once," Toph shrugged.

"Kya, Bumi, would you like to come see Lin fight in Pro-Bending?"

"Uhhh I actually just remembered, I have an appointment with Izumi on friday. We're going to do karaoke and we've had it planned for ages! I'm sure Lin will understand,"

"Oh Lin doesn't know we're coming! It will be a surprise!" Toph replied with a wicked grin.

Katara giggled and Mai smiled while both Zuko and Aang sighed in disapproval.

* * *

"How did you find out it is pro-bending that she is competing in?" Aang asked the next day at City Hall.

"Twinkletoes, really? I have the entire police force under my thumb AND the triads have been quiet so, I set a pair of detectives on little Linny."

"You know, if she finds out, she'll never trust you again."

"Eh, she'll come around."

"How is this any different than when your parents had you guarded twenty-four-seven when you were twelve? You hated it!"

"Because they wanted me to stop fighting and be something I'm not. I want Lin to be safe, so I have her followed. What's the big deal? If any thing happens to her, I would never forgive myself. She still gets to do whatever she wants and have all the freedom in the world!" Toph replied bending the earth beneath her feet so she stood at the same level as the avatar, poking him in the chest before lowering herself again and walking off with the clanking of her metal armor echoing down the hall as she walked back towards the police station.

Not long after sitting down again, Toph's thoughts were interrupted by one of the subordinates assigned to watch her older daughter from afar.

"What is it now, Long?!" Toph yelled.

"We believe we've made a discovery in your daughter's pro-bending case that you might be interested in,"

"Ugh, fire away." Toph grumbled leaning back in her desk chair, kicking her feet up and folding her arms.

"As you know, pro-bending is advertised as a team event in which a water, fire and earth bender work together to defeat an opposing team of the same makeup..."

"Yes?"

"And we believe her team mates may be the Fire Lord and the Avatar's daughters."

Toph's face scrunched up in scrutiny.

"Shall we alert the Fire Lord and/or the Avatar?" Long asked after a moment of silence.

"No. I'll let them find out on their own. And I will be there when it happens," Toph replied firmly. "And burn all of the collected documents. I don't want anyone outside us three to know about the girls' little pro-bending adventure for the time being,"... just in case they lose. Toph ordered.

"Yes, Chief!" Long saluted and bowed then marched out of her office.

Toph let down her steel walls once he was gone and the door closed and laughed madly. "Oh Twinkle Toes and Sparky are going to get a load of this!" she said wiping tears of amusement from her eyes.

* * *

10:30AM.

"You're late!" Kya said with her arms folded, already suited up in her training clothes as Little Lin trudged in with her new duffel.

"Sorry! Master Xijong was drilling me at the Academy and wouldn't let me leave until I had the form perfected! I left during the 10-minute waterbreak as soon as I could!" Lin replied dropping her bag down and taking a minute to breathe.

"Your mom knows!" Izumi blurted out.

"What do you mean?" Lin asked defensively.

"Don't play ignorant! I was there this morning, just two hours ago, she was bragging to my mom about how you were no doubt her daughter AND invited my parents AND Zumi's to come watch Friday night's match!" Kya yelled.

"WHAT? Why would she do that?!" Lin asked shocked. Her mother never went out with friends, no matter how far back they went. The Afternoon or evening teas with Katara were often at Katara's request whenever she became concerned that Lin or Su might be neglected.

"Because you are her pride and joy and I am sure she loves watching you kick ass just as much as you enjoy doing the ass kicking!" Izumi replied.

"What did you tell her?!" Kya demanded.

"I just told her I fought in an underground ring! I didn't tell her it was pro-bending. It could have been the earth Ring or the Earthen Fire Ring or the Quaking Lava ring or the Eroding Stone Ring!" Lin explained.

"But you didn't specify did you?"

"No," Lin sighed.

"Ugh! I knew we shouldn't have invited a CHILD onto our team!" Kya exclaimed.

"Liar! You were nearly jumping up and down when I suggested Lin!" Izumi replied.

"Shut up you two, someone's coming!" Lin yelled feeling the footsteps a hundred feet down the hall with her seismic sense.

"Great, you're all here, I got your pay for last night's game!" the manager said putting a stack of paper notes into Izumi's hand. "But before you go, there is the fee for the new girl's uniform, and the cost of gym time, aaand..."

"I know that is enough, Sir." Izumi said whipping her hand away, putting the pile of cash into Kya's hand behind her. "I know exactly what the fees are for participating in this sport, how much each fee is, and when I am being cheated."

"Listen here little girl! If you want to-"

"If YOU want to be out of the job, I suggest you leave us alone."

"You can't-"

"Maybe you'd rather be charred alive then," Izumi said lifting a hand in blue fire.

The man nearly jumped out of his trousers as he fled and Izumi and Kya laughed.

"What was all that about?" Lin asked taking off her shirt and pulling her uniform out of her duffel.

"He thinks he can scam us. He doesn't realize I payed for the construction of this place," Izumi replied.

"YOU?!" Lin asked sitting on the bench, shocked.

"Well, my mom gave me the money. That being said, I don't mind messing around with the bullies because I know the game makers will never really kick me out of the game," Izumi replied.

"But our wins are legit right?" Lin asked wondering if the judges had been payed off.

"Yes, we will never cheat. And the judges don't even know who I am. Only the game maker."

"Wait, but aren't we cheating since I am underage?"

"Age is just a number. If I were a twenty year old experienced fighter from Makapu can't defeat a child in a game, I would be extremely ashamed of myself," Izumi replied.

"Hmph."

"So what are we going to do about Friday?" Kya asked. "About our parents."

There is only one thing we can do," Izumi shrugged.

"Which is..." Lin asked pausing with her uniform shirt up her arms, but not yet over her head.

"Prove to them that this investment was not a waste," Izumi answered. "And win."

* * *

Toph originally told everyone to wear disguises when they went to to the pro-bending match, but at the last minute decided to forgo that plan and just wear her uniform.

"I thought we didn't want to be noticed!" Aang said arriving in Fire Nation Garbs with a headband over his arrow and a hat on his head.

"Eh, I thought it might be fun to rustle them up a little after, if you know what I mean," Toph said punching the Avatar in the arm playfully.

"Have you told Lin that we're coming?" Katara asked.

"Of course not, but I am pretty sure she knows already. I don't know how, but she's been awfully quiet lately and has been avoiding me for some reason." Toph replied.

"Maybe she just needs to 'get in the zone'," Katara suggested.

"Nah. That kid's always ready for a good fight. I don't know what is going through her head," Toph replied. "Twinkletoes, do you ever use your feet how I taught you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Have you noticed anything irregular about any of your childrens' heartbeats?" Toph asked.

"Uhhhhh... no?"

"Is something wrong with any of our children?" Katara asked with genuine concern.

"Not yet, I don't think." Toph replied with a smirk walking towards the underground stadium entrance her officers' told her about.

"I already don't like this." Zuko said putting an arm around his wife as they took their seats.

"Are you sure we should be sitting in the front row?" Aang asked the Chief of Police of Republic City nervously.

"Any higher up and my feet won't be able to see anything!" Toph replied.

"I could always tell your feet whatever happens," Katara replied.

"Eh. I'd rather not have to hear your voice the whole time," Toph said sitting with her arms behind her head and a smug expression on her face waiting how long it would take her friends to recognize their daughters on the stage alongside hers.

"I mean won't anyone notice who we are?" the Avatar asked.

"As long as you keep your headband and hat on, and Sparky keeps his good up, nobody will approach us. Trust me; to the average citizen, seeing me is a bad thing," Toph said with a dismissive wave of the hand leaning back in her seat with one leg crossed over the other confidently.

* * *

 **Hi peeps! Here's the third chapter! I hope you like it. I've made some fan art for the show and posted it on second-gen-gaang.tumblr if you want to see. There's one of the Flaming Moon Badgers after a win, a sketch and a sketch/watercolor picture of them fighting, and soon there will be one of their parents' reactions watching the match. Those who follow my IG @linzin_ftw may have already seen my shitty fan art. Anyways, happy reading!**

 **Please leave comments and criticism in the reviews. Let me know who's I am doing and what I can do to improve(please! I know there's a lot). Also let me know if there's something in particular you want to see in this story, or else I will just continue to write blindly!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Katara, LET GO OF ME!" Toph yelled out of the middle of nowhere as they waited for the match to begin.

"No, I can't let you kill my brother!" Katara replied cackling with laughter as she bloodbent her friend to remain still.

"What's happening?" Mai asked Zuko who shrugged looking just as bewildered as Mai felt.

Just then Sokka appeared in the row of seats behind the old friends and leaned over top of Toph's bun and kissed her head. He climbed most unceremoniously over the chairs just as Katara released her bloodbending hold on Toph. Toph punched both of them in the arm before folding hers.

"I hate suprises, AND I could have you arrested for that, Sugar Queen!" Toph yelled at the master waterbender.

"But you won't!" Katara snickered high fiving her brother.

"Come on, you know you liked it!" Sokka laughed hugging a bitter Toph.

"Sokka, you came?" Aang asked astonished.

"Why the tone of surprise? Honestly, I can't _believe_ you guys didn't invite me to Linny's big match!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Who did then?"

"Bumi. He said you guys were all going and offered to take him and Kya but Kya was busy and well, he didn't want to go, but DID want to know what happened, so I came. To be honest, I was rather curious myself. Lin is even smaller than you were at that age, Toph! And winning!" Sokka exclaimed throwing his arms up with excitement.

"That is because Lin is eleven. Of course she is smaller than I was at TWELVE!" Toph replied folding her arms and crossing her feet.

"So why didn't you invite Sokka?" Mai asked Toph.

Toph thought for a moment then laughed. "Eh, his daughter isn't fighting tonight," Toph said lowering her unseeing eyes, the corners of her lips curling into a smirk.

"Are you implying that ours are..." Mai began to ask before being cut off by the announcer.

* * *

 **Shiro Shinobi:**

Ladies and gents, May I have your attention please? ARE YOU READY FOR THE FIFTH QUALIFYING MATCH OF THE THIRD ANNUAL PRO-BENDING CIRCUIT?

 _The crowd roared._

INTRODUCING YOUR DEFENDING CHAMPIONS TWO YEARS RUNNING, THE REPUBLIC CITY FLAMING MOON BADGERS AND THEIR CHALLENGERS, THE PINNACLE PALACE PLATYPUS BEARS!

 _more cheers_

* * *

"What a stupid name! Moon Badgers aren't even a real thing!" Toph yelled.

"Don't call their name stupid! They have been champions two years running!" Katara yelled swatting Toph on the arm.

"I am guessing the team with the midget is Lin's," Mai said looking bored with her hands folded in her lap.

"So you're where Zumi get's her sarcasm and boringness," Toph commented.

"And you're where Lin gets her negativity and cynicism," Mai replied.

* * *

 **Shiro Shinobi:**

And the Flaming Moon Badgers are on the defensive weaving through water, earth, and fire like acrobats. The Platypus Bears are holding nothing back tonight! Jinyu ricochets a disk off the side Lina smashes it and returns a few of her own and there goes his shin, knee, and shoulder and Jinyu is in the drain!

Kayama strikes Norika who returns with some intense firebending. Ziyuan slides to her defense redirecting the fire. Hiro tries to take out two with one strike but his hose is blocked with a series of earth disks before it could reach the fire and water duo.

Kayama and Lina appear to have some sort of strategy. Lina jumps off of Kayama's back and kicks one, two earthen disks knocking Norika and Hiro back to zone two. The moon badgers advance into Platypus bear territory. Kayama flips off of the railing sending Norika into the drain.

Hiro knocks Ziyuan back one zone into her own territory again. Ziyuan strikes back with an unusually large fire blast knocking Hiro back to the third zone. Was it just me or did that fire have a few blue flames in it? Wait! The refs blew the whistle. It must be under review!"

"The Moon Badgers receive a penalty for illegal, overzealous firebending!" the referee yelled. "Ziyuan move back one zone. Hiro moves up one zone."

* * *

"Oh come on! It was just a few flames! The majority of the blast was red and orange!" Zuko yelled flinging his hands forward.

"Zuko, are we sure Toph is the blind one here?" Mai asked.

"How could you say that?!" Zuko yelled at her. She didn't even flinch but stared back at him with the same deadpanned expression she always had.

"Zuko, there are three people in the world capable of producing blue fire, Your uncle, your sister, and your daughter, and only two capable of controlling it, your uncle and your daughter. Izumi is down there." Mai said.

"What?!" Zuko yelled with smoke coming out of his ears and nose, standing up.

"Relax, she'll be fine. You've taught her well." Mai said grabbing his wrist, bringing him back down to his seat.

* * *

 **Shiro Shinobi:**

AND THE BELL MARKS THE END OF ROUND 1. The Moon Badgers take the round but it clearly wasn't easy. Second round will begin after the commercial break!

And we are back with the fifth qualifying match of the third annual pro-bending circuit. The moon badgers face off against the platypus bears an an intense clash of the elements. It seems the Platypus Bears have a new strategy as they dodge the Moon Badgers' attacks. Jinyu knocks Kayama back to zone three, Norika knocks Lina back into zone two and it looks like the Platypus Bears might win a round. Ziyuan knocks Hiro back to zone two. Jinyu knocks Kayama back to zone three with a second disk and Lina serves him a sandy soup with that three disk flurry knocking him all the way to zone three on his side. Ziyuan stands her ground in zone one holding the Platypus Bears off from advancing into Moon Badger territory. And the bell rings ending the round in a tie! We go to the coin toss to decide the round.

"The Platypus bears win the coin toss! Which element do you choose?" the referee asked.

"We choose earth!" the tigerdillo Jinyu answered looking at the little earthbender confidently.

"Lina, you're up!" Kya whispered shoving Lin forward.

"What do I do?" Lin asked hurriedly.

"Same thing as normal. Just knock him off the ring!" Izumi answered as Lin stepped into the Center circle to face a young man eight years older and two feet taller than she.

"Fifty yuans she uses three disks to knock him out," Kya whispered to her firebending teammate.

"Sixty she only uses two," Izumi replied.

"You're on!" Kya exclaimed subtly shaking on it.

 _Ding!_

"Jinyu opens with two shots, Lina rolls to the side picking up a disk but not throwing. Jinyu lunges— Lina slides picking up a second, she is on the defensive—one disk to the side throws Jinyu off balance and a middle strike SENDS JINYU INTO THE DRAIN! Wait! What?" Shiro Shinobi commentated.

"Woo hoo!" Lin jumped up in the air and twirled around to see Kya face palm miserably and Izumi pinch the bridge of her nose. "I messed up, didn't I?"

"You're supposed to knock him off the small ring. Not the whole thing!" Kya explained indicating the lowering center circle that Lin was still standing on.

"Oh, sorry guys," Lin sighed.

"It's alright. It's just a game," Izumi said patting Lin on the shoulder in a sisterly way.

"The Moon Badgers win the face off BUT their earthbender will receive a penalty for unnecessary roughness and start the next round back one zone," the referee announced.

"Awwww,"

"Keep your chin up, K Linny?" Izumi said tilting Lin's head up with her index finger as the younger girl walked away.

 _DING!_

* * *

"WE DID IT!

WE DID IT!

WE ARE GOING TO WIN IT!" the girls sang skipping around in a circle after the match.

"That was crazy!" Lin exclaimed brushing the hair out of her face.

"And Kya, your recovery after that guy got you in the knee!" Izumi yelled.

"Just a little quick healing!" Kya winked.

"Wait! They're coming!" Lin announced.

"Who?" Kya asked obliviously.

"You know who! Quick! Hide!" Lin ordered.

"Where?" Izumi asked.

"The lockers! I'll metalbend us in!"

The three girls dove into their lockers and skin slammed them shut locking the padlocks.

The door to their locker room slowly opened and several pairs of feet entered their temporary private space.

"Nice try kids!" Toph said loudly with her commanding voice throwing open all three lockers with ease, overpowering her daughter's bending effortlessly.

The children didn't move.

"Hey, D-Dad! H-h-How's it going?" Kya asked nervously looking over Toph's shoulder at her father's stern face as he looked one word away from entering the Avatar State.

"I am extremely disappointed in you, Izumi! What were you thinking?" Zuko asked solemnly.

"Dad, I know I am a Princess and I do my duty every day from dawn till dusk with only a few hours on Friday evenings off. I needed to do SOMETHING FUN! So, I asked Mom if I could borrow some money and started Pro-Bending," Izumi confesses.

"WHAT?!" Toph, Aang, Sokka, and Katara all yelled turning to the princess they all thaught was so prim and proper, so perfect in every way.

"I can't believe this!" Toph said with a growing smile on her face.

"I WON'T believe this!" Zuko added, his face turning hot with rage.

"It's true!" Mai said placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "And she paid it all back within a month. Pro-bending turned out to be a very profitable investment. People like watching the game."

"Do you realize what this could do to the royal family?" Zuko yelled.

"It does nothing to us, Zuko. Let her be. She's a responsible young lady. You should be proud. You've taught her well," Mai interrupted affirmatively.

Zuko sighed and glanced at Aang who had his eyes down.

"What do you think, Aang? Should we let them continue?" Zuko asked.

"The Flaming Moon Badgers have a perfect record. It would be a shame if they were disbanded." The Avatar turned to the girls and reluctantly said, "You may continue to play."

"YAY!"

"WOOO HOOO!"

"YES!"

* * *

 **Please leave comments and criticism in the reviews. Let me know how I am doing and what I can do to improve(please! I know there's a lot). Also let me know if there's something in particular you want to see in this story, or else I will just continue to write blindly!**


	5. Chapter 5

They were in the basement of the police station in the massive training room. Katara was wearing a blue dress with white trim, Toph wearing a white tank top and black pants after having shed her armor and Zuko was shirtless.

An shape of the the pro-bending ring had been ripped out of the metal floor, troughs dug and filled with water, and cavities excavated for stacks of green disks in preparation for the special training session.

"How did I get roped into this?" Zuko asked with his arms folded and his hair down.

"Because you want them to win, just as much as we do and you know it, Sparky," Toph said with a mischievous grin on her face as she and Katara bent their knees, facing their daughters.

"Benders ready?" Sokka asked holding a gong, standing with one leg up on a bench next to Mai who was sitting.

"Ready!" the benders yelled.

Sokka banged the gong with his entire body.

Mai didn't even flinch while Sokka fell off the bench when the old clashed with the young in an explosive start.

"GAANG WATERBENDER PENALTY FOR HOSING!" Sokka yelled when Katara unleased a "MOVE BACK ONE ZONE!"

"I'LL SHOW YOU HOSE!" Katara yelled splashing her brother off the bench while Mai and Toph snickered.

They started again. "IZUMI DODGES FIRE BLASTS FROM THE FIRE LORD AND STRIKES THE CHIEF OF POLICE! LIN PROTECTS HER TEAM MATE, SMASHING A DISC FROM THE LEGENDARY! KYA DRENCHES HER FRIEND'S ANGSTY DAD-"

"Sokka What kind of commentary is this?" Zuko asked, distracted long enough for Lin to knock the wind out of him with an earth disk.

"BOOOOOOOO! NO TALKING!" Sokka yelled.

"Don't boo him!" Mai ordered swatting the nonbending Southern Water Tribe Councilman.

"COME ON, OLD PEOPLE! STEP IT UP! YOU'RE GETTING SLAUGHTERED BY YOUR OWN OFFSPRING!" Sokka yelled.

Toph slid a food back feeling both her friends back in zone two then turned into the location of Lin, Izumi, and Kya. With a smile she lifted up two earth disks and hit Kya and Izumi back a zone.

"Just you and me, Linny!" Toph smiles.

"This ALWAYS happens," Lin sighed kicking up a flurry of disks aiming them all at her mother from different directions. Toph dove to the side straight through three of them, smashing them to sand with her bare hands then kicked one Lin's way and knocked her back to zone two.

"OLD PEOPLE ADVANCE INTO THE SECOND GENERATION'S TERRITORY!" Sokka yelled enthusiastically.

Toph, Katara, and Zuko all moved up one zone and continued the onslaught.

"Pro-bending rounds only last two minutes!" Kya said feeling more and more fatigued as she blocked another water strike and returned it.

"Don't tell me you're getting tired, Sweetie! We're just warming up!" Katara said doing a kip up and jumping and spinning to send a curved hose not at Kya but at Lin who had her guard down sending her back into zone three.

They switched opponents, Lin taking on Katara and out for revenge while Kya struggled with Toph's unique earthbending style of evading.

"It's like sparring with an airbender. Is all you do evade?" Kya asked Toph.

"Nope? I just wait," Toph said doing a sweep kick sending a disk flying just millimeters over the ground knocking Kya's foot out from under her as she came down from a jump. The girl almost fell on her stomach before Toph sent a curved disk up from under lifting Kya by the stomach then a straight disk to knock her into the far wall.

"KYA IS IN THE DRAIN!" Sokka yelled.

"Oof!" Kya landed on the metal ground with a thud and bent some water over to herself to start healing her ankle.

"THE FIRE LORD AND THE MELON LORD GANG UP ON THE PRINCESS IZUMI- LIN LANDS A NICE STRIKE TO THE FIRE LORD'S LEG! ZUMZU DODGES ENEMY WATERS! LIN TAKES THE OPENING AND GETS HER OWN MOTHER RIGHT IN THE GUT- THAT HAS GOT TO HURT!"

"You little, SHIT!" Toph took a few steps, jumped and flipped in the air kicking a disk with both feet down at her daughter with enough force to dent the floor.

"What is WRONG WITH YOU? Are you TRYING to kill us before the semi-finals?" Lin yelled.

"Sorry, Linny, got a little to..." Toph began to say.

"Vengeful, maybe?" Lin asked as her mother pulled her out of the crater in the metal.

"Yeah... It happens," Toph sighed.

"Zumi, I have a question," Sokka said running over to the princess wearing a magnifying glass over one eye, examining her face while she leaned back and away awkwardly. "If all the players are incapacitated, but not thrown 'into the drain' does it still count as a knockout?" Sokka asked.

"Are they knocked out?"

"Yes,"

"Then probably," Izumi said taking a towel from her mother and walking away.

"I feel really good about Friday night! I think we're ready!" Kya exclaimed bending water around herself to heal the bruises, and aches.

"Yeah, me too," Izumi said perfectly comfortable despite the heat and sweat in the room.

"I'm proud of you, Linny," Toph said massaging her eleven year old's arms.

"Why?"

"You didn't cry when I practically BURIED you!" Toph replied cackling with laughter.

Lin rolled her eyes.

* * *

 **LMK what you think/want to see or else I will continue to write blindly :))))  
**

 **Up Next: Final Pro Bending Match of the Season then Izumi has to return to the Fire Nation...**


	6. Chapter 6

Sokka, Toph, Katara and Mai sat in the front row of the private box with Aang, Zuko, Bumi, and Tenzin seated behind them to watch the final match of that season's pro-bending.

"I really don't think this is a good idea," Tenzin said hesitantly as he looked down at the rather daunting arena constructed up on stilts over a massive lake of water.

"Me neither, Son," Aang said with a hand on his son's back as they seated themselves.

"Don't worry about your little girlfriend! If she can whoop all of **_our_** asses I'm sure she can beat a couple of street rats from the slums of cities all around the world!" Bumi reassured his little brother with a mouth full of fire flakes.

"I know, they're all just- so much bigger than her. Not to mention she's under age," Tenzin said thinking about his little eleven-year-old best friend.

"The refs are not going to say anything about her age. The Moon Badgers have played fairly since the beginning even with Izumi having an in with the game maker. Besides, if the older teens can't beat a kid as tiny as Little Linny then they should be ashamed," Mai informed them.

Just in time, the lights above the seats and in the private boxes went down and the spotlights pointing at one side of the arena turned on.

* * *

"Tonight, the final two teams will face off in your third annual PRO BENDING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES! First up, your two-time reigning champs, the Flaming Moon Badgers and their challengers, newcomers this year, the Harbor Town Hog Monkeys! And they begin with the sound of the bell!" Shiro Shinobi said announcing the two teams as they rode a moving platform onto the arena.

Miku opens a massive fire on Ziyuan who blocked it right down the middle pushing some of the flames into her teammate accidentally.

"Ahhhh!" Kya fell, flames burning through the leg of her grey uniform and singing the end of her green belt.

Lin looked shocked by Izumi's mistake. Usually the Crown Princess was much more controlled than this.

"Kya!" Lin called.

"Don't worry!" Kya replied bending a ring of water around herself as a barrier as she quickly put out the flame with a secondary stream, taking a third to heal the burn enough to be able to get up and fight again.

Lin went after the fire bender, Miku, while Izumi moved to challenge the hog monkey water and earth bender until Kya could rejoin them.

"Wow! That was the fastest healing I have ever seen, and by a seventeen year old! These Moon Badger's must be prodigies!" Shiro Shinobi shouted in disbelief as he watched Lin and Izumi fight while their team mate sat on the ground of the arena healing her own leg while sustaining a water doughnut around herself for protection.

Lin jumped up bringing a disk with her, tucked into a triple flip and kicked a disk straight down at the Hog Monkey earthbender sending her back into zone two. Izumi sent two curved blasts. The first knocked the hog monkey waterbender to off her feet and the other struck her stomach and sent her also back to zone two.

Kya jumped up again dropping her doughnut with a splash then did a double twist before sending a short hose towards the last hog monkey in zone one sending her all the way off the back of the arena and into the drain.

With a ring of a bell, the Moon Badgers advanced into enemy territory.

"Moon badgers advance into enemy territory with two on one with Miku in the drain! Ziyuan and Lina send a barrage of attacks at the waterbender, Kimiko while Kayama blasts earthbender, Rita, with water!" Shiro Shiobi announced. "Rita escapes Kayama and rushes to Kimiko's defense. Lina ducks, Ziyuan jumps off of her back and throws a dragon kick. Rita blocks with an earthen disk and both hog monkeys girls are in the drain!" Shiro Shinobi commentated.

"Knockout in the first round?" Lin asked standing up stretching her arms up behind her back, circling them fully with a crack of her shoulders.

" WAIT! WAT A MINUTE! The hog monkeys are holding up!" Shiro Shinobi yelled as it became apparent that Rita had grabbed onto the ledge of the arena and was holding her team mate, Kimiko up by one hand.

Rita flung Kimiko onto the arena who knocked over an unsuspecting Lin from behind just before the bell rang ending the round.

"AND THE HARBOR TOWN NATIVES LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER ROUND!" Shiro Shinobi yelled enthusiastically. "ROUND 2 will start after the commercial break."

"I'M GOING TO BURY THEM IN A ROCK-A-LANCHE!" Lin growled lifting two earthen disks just to smash them together and reduce them to sand in her little fit of rage and anger as Izumi patted her on the back and Kya bent the water from her uniform.

* * *

"THAT'S MY GIRL!" Toph yelled from the stands. "SHOW-EM WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MESS WITH FLYING BOAR!"

"You can hear her from all the way over here?" Katara asked wide eyed and curious.

"She's my baby. I can hear her gentle breathing while she sleeps all the way from Gaoling," Toph replied with a satisfied smile as she watched the event with her eyes closed and one foot on the ground and the other crossed over her knee, her arms folded happily.

"Your skills of perception are frightening," Sokka said flatly.

"Thanks, Snoozles," Toph replied elbowing him playfully.

"That water bender, Kimiko could have hurt Lin when she wasn't looking! DAD do something!" Tenzin begged shaking his father's arm.

"Will you relax, Baby Baldy? I swear to Oma, you fret more than your dear Mother, Sugar Queen over here, did when she was in her teens!" Toph groaned at Tenzin.

"Sorry," Tenzin said sadly. Aang patted him on the back.

"Don't worry about Lin and the others. Your Mother, Uncle Zuko, and Aunt Toph helped them train before the match. They're ready," Aang said hopefully though Tenzin could tell his father was lying by the way his eyes glistened with worry.

"HEY! I HELPED TOO!" Sokka yelled at Aang.

"You just rang the gong and gave distracting commentary, Sokka. That doesn't help anything." Mai sighed from the other end of the front row of the private box.

"At least it's something! You just sat there and watched!" Sokka replied.

"And funded the construction of this arena and the founding of the game," Mai replied looking down at her burgundy painted nails and darts strapped to her wrists that needed sharpening.

Sokka sighed.

"Don't get yourself down, Snoozles. The games starting again," Toph said with a hard punch to his arms.

"Ow! Can you remember to retract the steel knuckles of your gauntlets before you punch me?" Sokka asked rubbing his arm.

"Sorry, here. Let me try again," Toph said retracting the metal glove, punching her lover again, but this time four times harder, knocking him off his seat and onto the floor as Katara and Bumi burst out laughing while Zuko, Mai and Aang frowned disapprovingly and Tenzin's brows furrowed with worry.

"You did kind of ask for it, brother," Katara sighed wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Wow! Even when you're happy, you're tearbending," Toph said to Katara clicking her tong and shaking her head. "Now EVERYONE, SHUT UP! The bell just rang!"

* * *

"The Moon Badgers begin with an acrobatic display of bending. It appears Lina has been lost in a cloud of smoke and water. The hog monkeys look just as confused as I am. And a disc ricochets off the side and knocks Kimiko off her feet and Kayama sends her into the-Wait a minute! Kimiko saves herself with a water whip from the trough in the third zone. She is still in the game. Miku unleashes a heavy fire on Ziyuan which should illicit a foul oooooorrrr maybe not..." Shiro Shinobi announced.

"What gives refs?" Izumi asked shooting them daggers with her sharp side glance.

They said nothing but urged the continuation of the game.

"If they're going to play dirty, I will too!" Lin said bending up two disks at once. Kya jumped on one of Lin's earth disks shoving it back into it's storage column with her weight.

"If they've been paid off, we have to win fair and square! It's the only way!" Kya yelled at her. "One disk at a time. You have your small size and high speed on your side. Use it!" Kya said elbow checking the young earth bender.

"Fine!" Lin growled kicking a disk at one of their opponents with enough force to knock her back to zone two.

* * *

Back at Air Temple Island, they had a celebratory dinner in honor of the Flaming Moon Badger's third win, and first one with Little Linny on the team.

"To the Flaming Moon Badgers! Who knew watching three of our own pummel kids into the ground for fun and become 'Pro-Bending Champions' would be so entertaining?!" Sokka asked with one leg on the table, raising a glass of kumquat rum with 3% cactus juice for a toast at the family dinner as everyone except Mai and Zuko laughed.

"I never doubted!" Toph replied proudly with one arm around seven-year-old Suyin squirming in her lap, and the other drapped over Lin's shoulder beaming.

On Lin's other side, Tenzin sat holding her hand tightly as if she would disappear if he let go.

"What's wrong, Baldy?" Lin asked turning to him with a sickeningly sweet tone of concern.

"I was worried about you!"

"Don't be! I can handle a couple of dumb teens. Thanks to you, I got to grow up sparing Kya and Bumi, the ultimate dumb of the dumb teens!" Lin said making Tenzin laugh.

"Hey! I heard that!" Bumi yelled throwing a peble at Lin that she bent right back at him striking him in the forehead leaving a cut and a bruise for Katara to heal for him.

"HEY! MOM! I THOUGHT YOU SAID NO BENDING AT THE TABLE! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Bumi cried to Katara.

"Shhhhh... It's alright Bumi. It's just Linny. She won't do anything to you that I can't fix," Katara said.

"I love you, girly." Toph said with a smile ruffling Lin's hair as she looked up happily.

"Awwww, Izumi, do you HAVE to go back to the Fire Nation tomorrow?" Kya asked sadly holding both of Izumi's hands, the two girls standing closer to each other than society would have preferred.

"I'm sorry, but I have a duty to my people. I turn eighteen this year and become of marrying age and if I don't find somebody to help me produce heirs, the Fire Sages will choose for me. I have to go," Izumi replied.

"Will you be back in time for the next season of pro-bending?"

"I hope so," Izumi said hugging her best friend tightly, not wanting to let go.


	7. Chapter 7

After nearly a year apart, the Fire Princess and the Avatar's daughter had only became closer. They hugged each other as soon as the latter arrived at their favorite restaurant in one of the shabbier neighborhoods of Republic City, far from the prying eyes of the social elite.

"So, how have you been, Kya? Have you found a new girlfriend yet?" the Fire Princess asked nervously looking down at her cup of tea, reheating it herself to just the right temperature before doing the same with her companion's cup which had become cold while waiting.

"No, unfortunately. Have you found a suitable potential husband yet, Zumi?" the Avatar's daughter replied just as nervously as she accepted her now hot cup back from her best friend.

"No, unfortunately." Izumi replied.

"Time is running out. You're already eighteen, Izumi and didn't the Fire Sages give you until like the end of the week?"

"The year, but that still doesn't help any."

"Well, good luck, Zumi, you have four months."

"And good luck to you, Kya. You have a week."

"A week for what?"

"To find a new earthbender and firebender for our pro-bending team,"

"What? But you can't leave me! Izumi! You hauled all of the weight starting this thing, you CAN'T!"

"I'm sorry. I have to return to the homeland to find a husband. He can't be foreign born or half or else the loyalists may overthrow the crown or something!" Izumi replied.

"Fuck the loyalists! Don't tell me you came all this way to tell me you're quitting a WEEK before the games start again!" Kya exclaimed begging the princess on her hands and knees.

"Get a grip on yourself, Kya! People are staring!" Izumi whispered frantically trying to lift Kya off the ground.

"I don't care about other people! Only YOU, Zumi!" Kya said with tears in her eyes.

"Get up already! People will think I'm a lesbian if you don't stop grovelling!"

"Well, aren't you?"

"Yes, but I don't need the world to know, ESPECIALLY my father. I'm a princess and I have a duty-"

"But Zumi-"

"Ugh! Fine! I'll talk to my mom and see if she can pull any strings with my father, or the Fire Sages so I can stay on the team. In the meantime, you have to hold tryouts for the earthbender vacancy, and potential firebender vacancy for the team, okay?" Izumi said.

"Why is there an earthbender vacancy? I thought Lin-"

"I thought so too, but she's still only twelve."

"So? She can still fight."

"True. But do you think she has time? I heard Aunt Toph's keeping her busy in all sorts of odd lessons this year to help round out her development or something."

"Yeah, so? We all know Aunt Toph's favorite pass time is seeing Lin beat the crap out of everybody. I think she'll consent and let Lin drop something,"

"I don't know."

"It never hurts to ask."

"Really? When's the last time you spoke with your city's "Esteemed Chief of Police?"

"You have a good point, like always, Izumi."

"That is because I was trained to think before I speak,"

"HEY!"

"I'm just kidding! Now hurry up and order something! I'm starving!"

"Me too,"

* * *

Four Days Later:

"So your Dad let you return to Republic City for pro-bending despite everything?" Kya asked walking arm and arm with Izumi, both of them dressed in casual clothes from their respective countries.

"Yep. Mom forced him, told him she'd help me elope with you if he kept me caged in that palace and didn't let me enjoy my youthful knees while they're still working," Izumi replied smoothly.

"And he believed her?" Kya asked in disbelief.

"Of course!" Izumi replied with a smirk.

"I love your mom!" Kya exclaimed.

"I love her too," Izumi said looking down with a smile.

"So what are we going to do about the earthbender vacancy in our team?" Kya asked Izumi.

"Kya, we talked about this. I thought you were going to hold tryouts and find somebody local. I mean, there aren't many earth benders in the Fire Nation Capital so I couldn't do much searching."

"Can we just use Lin again?"

"Have you spoken with the Chief of Police?"

"As a matter of fact, I have! And she's provided us with new uniforms after you burned a hole through mine in the final match last Season!"

"That was an accident!"

"I know, but I still can't believe you lost your control that night!" Kya said with a wink.

"Ugh- you're infuriating sometimes!" Izumi groaned pushing the waterbender playfully.

"But you know you still love me!" Kya giggled.

* * *

Lin took off the fluffy green wig and the shapeless brown dress and ran her fingers through her shoulder-length, wavy black hair with a heavy sigh of frustration.

"Niki, can you BELIEVE it? Madame Jiaxiang actually said Lin gets to play the TREE this year!" some snobby rich girl said.

"Actually, I can, Tianli. She does have the acting capabilities of a pebble!" Niki replied maliciously as she and her two friends laughed. "What do you think, Yuxi?

" **I** can't wait to see the Chief's reaction when she sees how little Linny's progressed in acting!— oh wait! She can't see!" Yuxi commented causing the intensity of her friend's laughter to increase.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Lin screamed slamming her costume into her duffel turning around on her knees. "I'll turn you three into a single tree if you don't LEAVE ME ALONE!" Lin yelled flinging a piece of metal out of her bag and across the room to slap the three girls all in a row with one blow.

"MADAME JIAXIANG! BEIFONG HIT US!" the three girls cried running across the stage and out the other wing.

"Whatever!" Lin groaned as she beckoned the metal back to her hand and organized the inside of her satchel. Just then two pairs of feet appeared in her field of vision mere inches from her satchel. One pair was encased in black leather shoes with pointy toes and crimson soles, and the other pair was wearing seal fur moccasins. Lin looked up and saw her boyfriend's big sister and the Fire Princess standing before her.

Lin cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you here?" Lin asked frowning and returning to her messy bag where she folded her tree costume pitifully.

"We heard a rumor you'd be here," Kya answered with one hand on her hip.

"Theatre class? I must say, I'm intrigued. I didn't think you were the type to like acting," Izumi added with an approving smile as she folded her arms and looking around curiously.

"Trust me. This wasn't my choice. Mom thinks acting classes will help me if I want to be a detective. She says I need to learn to control my expressions and my poker face is far below standard." Lin said.

"Oh Lin, we could have helped you with that!" Izumi sighed rolling her eyes.

"And besides, How can your mother see if your poker face is lacking if she's BLIND?" Kya asked.

"I don't know! Ask her!" Lin yelled irritably zipping her bag shut. "Anyways. You didn't answer my first question. Why are you here?"

"We did answer your question. We're here because you're here," Kya said with a smile.

"That's not a good enough reason. Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Busy thinking of ways of how to beat up those girls without leaving a trace?" Izumi asked nodding at the other wing of the stage knowingly.

"Maybe," Lin muttered turning away with an adorable little pout on her face.

"Well, pro-bending starts up again on Friday. And I'm sure everyone would prefer you take out all of your frustration on the platypus bears then," Kya said offering Lin a set of clothes she pulled out of her bag.

"I can't," Lin sighed not accepting the uniform.

"Why not?" Kya asked.

"First rehearsal for the fall showcase for Earth Kingdom Dance Class is then." Lin replied sadly.

"Dance too? I swear to the moon, you're becoming Su!" Kya yelled.

"It's not like I have a choice!" Lin replied defensively.

"Ditch it like you used to ditch the academy!" Kya suggested.

"It's not that easy. At the academy, someone just moved up and fills in the gap for the missing person. In dance and acting, people have roles and it's OBVIOUS when someone goes missing!" Lin replied motioning with her hands the process.

"SPIRITS LIN! You're coming!" Kya said thrusting the uniform into Lin's flailing hand.

"But-" Lin began to protest.

"Lin," Izumi said in a softer, more compassionate tone placing her hands on the young earthbender's shoulders. "I don't think your mother will get mad at you for skipping dance once a week." Izumi said.

"Why not?"

"Just look at the new uniform. We have a sponsor now And I'm sure the sponsor will take care of everything," Izumi said turning the pile over to show her the emblem on the back of the uniform.

 _Sponsored by Earthen Fire Refineries_

A smirk spread across Lin's face. _Thanks, Mommy!_

* * *

 **Bahaha! Poor Linny getting bullied.** **And Kyumi and later a bit of Bumizmui. And some young Linzin and Toph's company that she inherited from her father sponsoring the team. I think this next season will be exciting. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK/WANT TO SEE! PLEASE! Or else I will continue to write blindly.** _  
_


	8. Chapter 8

The next day, after ditching the metalbending academy and training with Kya and Izumi, Lin went to Air Temple Island to visit with Tenzin who, unlike her, didn't have to leave home to go to school.

"You're sad," Lin said immediately upon seeing him sitting alone in a gazebo, meditating.

"How can you tell?"

"I know you, Tenzin. What's wrong?" Lin asked sitting beside him, crossing her legs in a lotus position as well.

"I don't like the idea of you pro-bending again this year," Tenzin said.

"And why not? It's good practice for self defense."

"But it is dangerous. Why do you even need self defense? It's not like we're at war with anybody or anything,"

"Excuse me? Are you forgetting about the triads in the city constantly competing for control of various pockets of the city? Sorry not everyone can live on his or her own perfect little island with a couple dozen other people who all share the exact same thoughts, opinions and values! The city is a dangerous place. If it were so safe that I don't to practice self defense, my Mom would be out of a job!"

"Sorry Lin, I just- feel like pro-bending is an extra… unnecessary danger I don't want you to face."

Lin laughed. "It's not dangerous! How many times to I need to keep saying this?"

"But you're under age and all of your opponents are bigger than you and older by AT LEAST two years-"

"Bumi is older and bigger than me,"

"But he's a non-bender—"

"You're older than me by one year and bigger than me and I still beat your ass every time we spar. I don't see the difference,"

"But— that's different. We're training."

"It's not different. Fighting is fighting."

"But I don't go all out on you!"

"OH REALLY?" Lin replied standing up looking down at her boyfriend menacingly.

"Lin, please don't be angry! I just don't want to see you to get hurt!"

"I WON'T get hurt. It's JUST pro-bending." Lin said throwing her arms in the air in exasperation. "I probably have a greater chance of getting killed by my own mother during weekend sparring than in a pro-bending match."

"Lin, please!" Tenzin begged. "Reconsider participating, please."

"I don't get it, Tenzin! You're okay with me being a cop when I'm older but you're not okay with me pro-bending?"

"Well, no, I'm not okay with that either, but I figured by that point, I won't be able to stop you, anyways," Tenzin said.

"By that point?" Lin asked lifting her arms in exasperation, bringing with each hand an earthen pillar. "Oh and you thought you could had any power to stop me now?" Lin asked chucking one pillar in his direction as he slid to the side to avoid it. "You thought you could control me?!" She asked throwing the other.

"We'll influence but—"

"Tenzin, HOW DARE YOU! Am I your girlfriend or you servant, Tenzin?"

"Girlfriend, but I thought that meant we got to practice compromising on certain things…" Tenzin replied shielding his face from a flurry of rocks and pebbles.

"I'm your girlfriend! Not some air acolyte or servant you can command!" Lin yelled encasing both of his wrists in rock where he stood so she could approach him without him running. "So what is 'going all out' for you, TENZIN!" she demanded spitting on the ground at his feet.

Tenzin did a wide arching ax kick and blasted her back several meters . She rolled a few times before finding her feet again and gripping into the ground with her bare fingers curled like claws in the stone. Tenzin yanked his hands free of the rock bonds and created an air funnel rising up thirty feet in the air.

"I don't want to fight you Lin! I love you!" he yelled from atop his mastery-level air funnel.

Lin looked up with squinting eyes and bared teeth then bent the ground beneath her into a massive pillar and lifted herself up to be equal with him in the air. "THEN STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!" She yelled at him. "I can take care of myself BY MYSELF! I DON'T NEED YOU!" Lin yelled jumping off the pillar, down thirty feet, decimating the ground beneath her into an earth wave, running towards the docks and boarding the ferry. Tenzin sighed and came back down slowly. He'd have to ask his dad, the avatar and only earthbender permanently living on the island to put the pillar back down and restore the terrain, but that would have to wait since Dad was working in the city for the day.

Katara came running out with healing water ready on her hands.

"I heard you and Lin bending. What's broken?" Katara asked expecting to have to heal something.

"Nothing but my heart," Tenzin replied sadly turning away from her as he landed softly on the ground again..

"Sorry, come again?" Katara asked.

"I think Lin just broke up with me," Tenzin sighed sitting down miserably.

"Oh honey!" Katara dropped the water into two puddles and fell by her son. "I'm sure she didn't mean what she said."

"No, I'm pretty sure she meant it. Lin never lies to me, and she's a terrible actress," Tenzin replied hugging his knees.

* * *

Lin found Kya and Izumi chatting over a cup of tea in Ding's Dumpling Shop in the Sandy Plains Borough.

"Pork chive for table eleven, please," Lin said to a passing waiter as she headed for their table.

"You look rather miserable for a twelve-year-old child," Kya said pivoting in her chair.

"Another cup of tea for the little one, please," Izumi said waving another waiter down, pulling up an extra chair for Little Linny.

"I think I broke up with Tenzin," Lin informed the two teens as she climbed into the chair, her feet not quite reaching the ground as Kya and Izumi each took a side and pulled her towards the table.

"Is jasmine okay?" the waiter asked placing a fresh pot and another cup on their table.

"Yes, Thank you," Izumi said wrapping her hands around the bowl of the pot, checking the temperature and making the proper adjustments before pouring for Lin.  
"What happened, Linny?" Kya asked placing a hand on the little girl's.

"Tenzin doesn't want me to do pro-bending because he it's too dangerous. He claims I don't need to practice self defense. He thinks that just because we're not in the middle of a world war means that there is no danger in the world. He tells me that we don't need to know how to fight or grow up as quickly as our parents. How can he say that? If he just opened his eyes and read the newspaper, he would see that this era of peace is all an illusion!"

"I disagree. Compared to the our parents' child hood, ours is easy, and peaceful, relatively speaking," Kya responded.

"And Lin, Tenzin is right about some things. We don't have to grow up as quickly as our own parents. We get to waste time relax and take breaks from our already accelerated development," Izumi added to Lin.

"But he's also wrong about some things, like pro-bending being dangerous," Kya added.

"And that is the problem! EVER SINCE I AGREED TO BE HIS GIRLFRIEND, HE'S BEEN TRYING TO CONTROL ME! I DON'T GET IT! I'm not even an air acolyte let alone a servant he can command!"

"He's self-centered, paranoid git sometimes, if you ask me," Kya muttered leaning on her elbow.

"Boys are infuriating!" Lin yelled.

"Tell me about it, Linny!" Kya sighed. "You know, should try on girls sometime."

Lin grimaced at the thought. "Ew! Gross!"

"Oh! Don't be a homophobe-"

"I'm not— WHATEVER! You do you Kya!"

"Oh I intend to, don't worry," Kya said with a smirk.

"You're not helping her," Izumi said frowning at Izumi.

"Pork chive for table eleven?" a waiter said placing a plate with a dozen fresh dumplings down in front of Lin.

"Thank you," Izumi said politely sliding the plate closer to Lin so she wouldn't need to reach.

"I'm only giving her suggestions. She doesn't have to heed them. No need to get your knickers in a twist, Princess Zumi! See Lin, if my brother doesn't work out, you could always try me,"

"Can I enjoy my dumplings in peace now?" Lin asked loudly.

"No," Kya said giggling.

"Will you quit it?!" Izumi said swatting at Kya across the table. "Linny, if you would like some real advice, we can get your dumplings to go and head somewhere private," Izumi said with a protective hand on Lin's shoulder.

"Aww don't leave!" Kya begged.

"Then quit flirting with Little Linny!" Izumi ordered.

"I'm not little! I'm twelve years old now!" Lin declared.

"You'll always be little to us. Stop fighting." Izumi replied running her fingers through Lin's hair while she batted the princess's hand away with her right hand while stuffing a dumpling into her face with her chopsticks in her left.

* * *

That evening, Toph Beifong returned home to find her older daughter collapsed face down on her bed in the master bedroom.

"I've been waiting," Lin grumbled in a muffled voice through the blankets, otherwise not moving.

"Aunt Katara told me. How are you feeling Kiddo?" Toph asked sitting on the bed, placing a hand on her daughter's back, stroking it in comforting circles.

"Mom, can I have five thousand yuans?" Lin asked shocking the Police Chief.

"For Tenzin?"

"No, because of Kya and Izumi."

"Why?" Toph asked a little suspiciously. "Did you lose a bet?"

"No. I just can't stand to spend a second longer than necessary with that sad excuse for a pro-bending team!"

"That's... Honey, first of all, I'm sponsoring your team, and second of all I don't think five thousand yuan will be enough to pay off the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation, Linny,"

"I'm not paying them off. I'm going join my frienemies from theatre class at Ba Sing Se Shopping Center for a shopping spree after team training,"

At that Toph burst out laughing as Lin groped around the bed for a pillow and used it to sandwhich her tired head between it and the blankets on her mother's bed miserably. "Oh honey! But you hate shopping!"

"I know I do!— Mom please— just try to understand. I'm just desperate for _**other**_ company!"

"Okay my little cranky flying boar. But take the credit card. Since Kya is a hippie, she may try to steal any cash I give you. And Linny, try to have fun tomorrow. Don't worry about the max. You've been working hard lately. You deserve this... 'shopping spree'." Toph said removing the pillow from her daughter's head and running her fingers through her daughter's hair until the twelve year old fell asleep.

* * *

 **Ugh. I am really enjoying writing Kya as the awkward friend you never really wanted but still love and Izumi as her polite and loving compliment. LMK what you think/want to see or else I'm going to just keep writing blindly.**


End file.
